Imaging apparatus with shake correction

• US 8,259,184 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2007
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Murashima, Nobuharu, Kido, Toshihito, Honda, Tsutomu, Tanaka, Yoshiharau
• Primary Examiner(s): Fan, Chieh M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Quiett, Carramah J
• Application Number:
  US11/911,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20080211922A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,030 Days
• Field of Search: 34820899-2082, 348/208.4, 348/208.7, 348/296, 348362-364, 348/367, 348/208.6, 348/208.12
• US Class Current: 348/208.99
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/02 Lateral adjustment of lens
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 by influencing the exposure time

Abstract

In an imaging apparatus with a shake correction function, the influence of front curtain shock is prevented from being exerted on a shake correction function section (shake correction drive). The imaging apparatus includes a shake detection sensor 171 that detects an amount of shake applied to a digital camera, a shake correction unit 200 that performs a shake correction drive of an imaging device 101 on the basis of a shake amount detection signal, a shutter unit 40 that is arranged immediately in front of the imaging device 101 and performs an optical-path opening operation and an optical-path blocking operation for opening and blocking an optical path of light guided to the imaging device 101, a timing control circuit 51 that supplies a predetermined reset signal to each pixel for each predetermined pixel line so as to start exposure on the imaging device 101, and a shutter control section 623 that controls exposure of the imaging device 101. At the time of shooting, the shutter control section 623 executes an electronic shutter control (electronic focal plane shutter) for starting exposure on the imaging device 101 by means of the reset signal supplied to each pixel from the timing control circuit 51.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus that includes a CMOS imaging device having a plurality of pixels arrayed in a matrix, and performs shake correction with respect to the imaging device, the imaging apparatus comprising:

a shake detection unit configured to detect an amount of shake applied to the imaging device;

a correction drive unit configured to perform a shake correction drive of the imaging device so as to perform the shake correction;

a mechanical focal plane shutter arranged immediately in front of the imaging device and configured to perform an optical-path opening operation and an optical-path blocking operation for opening and blocking an optical path of light guided to the imaging device;

a timing signal generating unit configured to supply a predetermined reset signal to each of the pixels for each predetermined pixel line of the imaging device so as to start exposure on the imaging device; and

a control unit configured to control exposure of the imaging device, wherein, at the time of shooting, the control unit is configured to determine whether shake correction of the imaging device is being performed, to execute an electronic shutter control for starting exposure on the imaging device by the reset signal supplied to each of the pixels from the timing signal generating unit, when it is determined that shake correction of the imaging device by the correction drive unit is being performed, and to execute a mechanical shutter control for starting exposure on the imaging device by the optical-path opening operation by the mechanical focal plane shutter, when it is determined that shake correction of the imaging device by the correction drive unit is not being performed.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an operating unit configured to allow setting of whether or not to execute the shake correction drive of the imaging device by the correction drive unit,

wherein the control unit determines that shake correction is to be performed and executes the electronic shutter control, when the operating unit chooses a setting to execute the shake correction drive by the correction drive unit.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines that shake correction is to be performed and executes the electronic shutter control, when a shake amount detection signal detected by the shake detection unit is equal to or larger than a predetermined value.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a supporting-leg detecting unit configured to detect whether or not a supporting leg is attached to the imaging apparatus directly or indirectly based on another parameter,

wherein the control unit executes the mechanical shutter control when attachment of the supporting leg to the imaging apparatus is detected by the supporting-leg detecting unit.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an operating unit configured to allow setting of whether or not to execute the shake correction drive of the imaging device by the correction drive unit; and

an exposure control unit configured to set at least a shutter speed,

wherein the exposure control unit executes the electronic shutter control when a setting to execute the shake correction drive by the correction drive unit is made by the operating unit, and when the shutter speed set by the exposure control unit is lower than a predetermined value.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein assuming that a focal length in a 135 system equivalent of a shooting optical system included in the imaging apparatus is f (mm), the control unit determines that the shutter speed is lower than the predetermined value when the shutter speed is set longer than 1/f (sec).

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the imaging device and the mechanical focal plane shutter are integrated with each other; and

the correction drive unit performs a shake correction drive integrally for the imaging device and the mechanical focal plane shutter.

8. A method of performing shake correction with respect to an imaging device having a plurality of pixels arrayed in a matrix, the method comprising:

detecting an amount of shake applied to the imaging device;

performing a shake correction drive of the imaging device so as to perform the shake correction;

performing an optical-path opening operation and an optical-path blocking operation for opening and blocking an optical path of light guided to the imaging device;

generating a timing signal for supplying a predetermined reset signal to each of the pixels in each predetermined pixel line of the imaging device so as to start exposure on the imaging device; and

controlling exposure of the imaging device by, upon shooting an image, determining whether shake correction of the imaging device is being performed, executing an electronic shutter control for starting exposure on the imaging device by the reset signal supplied to each of the pixels when it is determined that shake correction of the imaging device is being performed, and executing a mechanical shutter control for starting exposure on the imaging device by the optical-path opening operation by the mechanical focal plane shutter when it is determined that shake correction of the imaging device is not being performed.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded thereon with a program that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method of performing shake correction with respect to an imaging device having a plurality of pixels arrayed in a matrix, the method comprising:

detecting an amount of shake applied to the imaging device;

performing a shake correction drive of the imaging device so as to perform the shake correction;

performing an optical-path opening operation and an optical-path blocking operation for opening and blocking an optical path of light guided to the imaging device;

generating a timing signal for supplying a predetermined reset signal to each of the pixels for each predetermined pixel line of the imaging device so as to start exposure on the imaging device; and

controlling exposure of the imaging device by, upon shooting an image, determining whether shake correction of the imaging device is being performed, executing an electronic shutter control for starting exposure on the imaging device by the reset signal supplied to each of the pixels when it is determined that shake correction of the imaging device is being performed, and executing a mechanical shutter control for starting exposure on the imaging device by the optical-path opening operation by the mechanical focal plane shutter when it is determined that shake correction of the imaging device is not being performed.